According to figures released today by the Scottish Government, pesticide use on edible crops in Scotland has increased 75 per cent in five years.

A series of government reports, based on surveys of arable and outdoor vegetable farms and aimed at documenting pesticide use in Scotland, have revealed the use of chemicals on Scottish farms has risen dramatically in past years.

Some of the studies are based on findings from surveys conducted between 2000 and 2010. The findings reveal that the “total cumulative area of edible crops treated with a pesticide formulation increased by 75 per cent to 3,258 hectares since 2007.” However, the government’s statisticians pointed out that the increase in the area of crops grown outstrips the increase in chemical use, at 75 per cent on an increase of 114 per cent in the area of ‘protected edible crops’ grown.

Of the pesticide used on horticulture crops, approximately 84 per cent was used to treat strawberries. Vegetables accounted for just 5 per cent, other fruits accounted for 2 per cent and tomatoes 0.5 per cent.

Surveys into the use of agricultural chemicals on field vegetables revealed the total area of outdoor vegetable crops grown in 2011 was 15,318 hectares, representing a 30 per cent increase since 2007. The total cumulative area of vegetable crops treated with a pesticide formulation has increased by 26 per cent to 138,504 hectares since the previous survey.

Surveys on rodenticide use revealed the preperations were used on over three quarters of arable holdings surveyed.

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